Hunter Smith | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Member of the IndianaHouseofRepresentatives from the 24th district | |||||||||
Assumed office November 19, 2024 | |||||||||
Preceded by | Donna Schaibley | ||||||||
Personal details | |||||||||
Born | Hunter Dwight Smith August 9,1977 Sherman,Texas,U.S. | ||||||||
Political party | Republican | ||||||||
Spouse | Jennifer Smith | ||||||||
Children | 4 | ||||||||
Education | University of Notre Dame (BS) | ||||||||
American football career | |||||||||
No. 17,3 | |||||||||
Position: | Punter | ||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||
Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||
Weight: | 209 lb (95 kg) | ||||||||
Career information | |||||||||
High school: | Sherman | ||||||||
College: | Notre Dame | ||||||||
NFL draft: | 1999 / round: 7 / pick: 210 | ||||||||
Career history | |||||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
| |||||||||
Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
| |||||||||
Hunter Dwight Smith (born August 9,1977) is an American former professional football player who was a punter in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the seventh round of the 1999 NFL draft. [1] He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
Smith earned a Super Bowl ring with the Colts in Super Bowl XLI as they beat the Chicago Bears. He is currently the representative for House District 24 of the Indiana House of Representatives. [2]
Smith attended Sherman High School in Sherman,Texas and was a letterman in football,basketball,and track. In football,he saw action as a quarterback,tight end,punter,and kicker,and was a two-time Texas All-State selection.
Smith played in all 45 career games for the University of Notre Dame over the course of his four seasons. He also handled all field goal holding duties. He ranks third on the schools career record list with 174 total punts and second on career yardage with an average of 41.2 yards per punt. Originally recruited as a QB,Smith also handled the emergency quarterback role. In both 1998 and 1999,Smith was Football News All-Independent first-team. [3] Smith also joined the track and field team at Notre Dame as a high jumper. Hunter graduated from Notre Dame in 1999 with degrees in Theology and Sociology. [4]
During his rookie season in 1999,he was selected to the NFL All-Rookie Team and was named Pro Bowl Alternate 3 times throughout his career. [4]
Smith was named AFC special teams player of the week while playing for Indianapolis in 2005.
Smith threw a touchdown pass for the Washington Redskins against the Denver Broncos on November 15,2009. The 35-yard pass went to the fullback,Mike Sellers. Smith was subsequently named the NFC special teams player of the week. He had previously run for an 8-yard touchdown against the New York Giants in the season's first game,making him the first special-teams player in NFL history to run and pass for a TD in the same season. [5] He has scored three touchdowns in his NFL career. [4]
On October 7,2010,the Redskins signed Smith after a season-ending injury to Josh Bidwell.
On December 14,2010,the Redskins cut Smith after botching an extra point attempt,a result of him allowing the snap pass through his hands as he held for kicker Graham Gano. [6] At the time,the Redskins trailed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 17–16 with nine seconds to play in the fourth quarter. The Redskins lost the game.
In December 2023,Smith announced his bid to run for the Indiana House of Representatives. [7] In District 24 he won the 2024 Republican primary with 61% of the vote. [8] He will face Josh Lowry in the general election. Smith beat his opponent capturing 56% of the vote. [9]
Smith,a devout Christian,is a member of the band Connersvine. Connersvine has an acoustic-driven rock sound. Made up of Chris Wilson and Smith,the acoustic duo sings about their religious faith,both recorded and live,sometimes on their own,and often time with a full band. "The Hunter Smith Band" is the name of the full ensemble.
In 2005,he wrote and performed a song on the Bob and Tom Show ,titled "The Most Accurate Holder to Ever Play the Game," referring to his holding duties for former Colts kicker Mike Vanderjagt.
In 2007,Connersvine performed in Houston at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion as part of a 25th anniversary celebration for Christian radio station KSBJ. The evening began with their performance followed by TobyMac and MercyMe among other artists. He and his wife,Jennifer,and their four kids,Josiah,Samuel,Lydia,and Beau reside in Zionsville,IN.
Smith published a book in 2012,The Jersey Effect:Beyond the World Championship,which is about several Colt players who played in Super Bowl XLI,examining their championship success and battles they faced too. He is now the lead singer in The Hunter Smith Band.
Michael John Vanderjagt is a Canadian former professional football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons,primarily with the Indianapolis Colts. He served as the Colts' placekicker from 1998 to 2005 and was a member of the Dallas Cowboys during his final NFL season in 2006. Prior to the NFL,Vanderjagt played four seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL),three with the Toronto Argonauts and one with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Adam Matthew Vinatieri is an American former professional football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 24 seasons with the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts. Vinatieri is the NFL's all-time leading scorer at 2,673 points,in addition to holding the NFL records for field goals made (599),postseason points (238),and overtime field goals made (12). He is considered one of the greatest placekickers of all time.
Marvin Darnell Harrison Sr. is an American former professional football wide receiver who played 13 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL),playing much of it with quarterback Peyton Manning. He played college football for the Syracuse Orange and was selected by the Colts in the first round of the 1996 NFL draft.
Super Bowl XLI was an American football game played between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Chicago Bears to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 2006 season. The Colts defeated the Bears by the score of 29–17. The game was played on February 4,2007,at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens,Florida. This was the first,and to date only,Super Bowl win for an AFC South team.
Allen Bonshaca Lamont Rossum is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. He was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round of the 1998 NFL draft.
Dallas Dean Clark is an American former professional football player who was a tight end for 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL),primarily for the Indianapolis Colts. He played college football for the Iowa Hawkeyes,earning unanimous All-American honors and recognition as the top college tight end in the nation. He was selected by Indianapolis in the first round of the 2003 NFL draft and he was a member of their Super Bowl XLI championship team against the Chicago Bears. He also played in the NFL for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Baltimore Ravens.
Justin Snow is a former American football long snapper who played in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Baylor University. He signed as an undrafted free agent in 2000 with the Indianapolis Colts,who he played twelve seasons with. Winning Super Bowl XLI with the Colts against the Chicago Bears is his biggest accomplishment.
Thomas Michael Zbikowski is an American college football coach and former safety. He is the safeties coach for Brown University,a position he has held since 2023. He played in the National Football League (NFL),as well as being a professional boxer and a firefighter. He was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the third round of the 2008 NFL draft. He earned All-American honors playing college football for the University of Notre Dame from 2003 to 2007.
Wayne Vernal Millner was an American professional football player who was an offensive and defensive end for the Boston / Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
Joseph Kwaku Duah Addai Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the first round of the 2006 NFL draft out of Louisiana State University. He played for the team for six seasons where he won Super Bowl XLI,defeating the Chicago Bears.
John William Standeford is an American former professional football wide receiver. He played college football at Purdue,and signed with the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He was also a member of the Indianapolis Colts,Detroit Lions,Florida Tuskers,Cincinnati Bengals,and Virginia Destroyers. As a member of the Colts,Standeford won Super Bowl XLI,defeating the Chicago Bears.
The 2006 Indianapolis Colts season was the franchise's 54th season in the National Football League (NFL),the 23rd in Indianapolis and the 5th season under head coach Tony Dungy. The team failed to improve on their regular season record of 14–2 from the 2005 season,finishing at 12–4. However,they did improve upon their postseason performance and advanced further into the playoffs,winning Super Bowl XLI.
Terrence Olondo Wilkins is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver and return specialist for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He also played with St. Louis Rams,and was a preseason member of the Miami Dolphins in 2004 and also played with the Calgary Stampeders in the Canadian Football League (CFL) in 2005. He had 1,466 career receiving yards with the Colts,and was also part of the Super Bowl XLI-winning team during the 2006 season,beating the Chicago Bears.
Russ Purnell is an American football coach. He has served for 26 seasons as an assistant coach in the NFL,mainly coordinating the special teams units. He is one of only 21 NFL assistant coaches who have won at least one Super Bowl championship with two different teams. He was also the special teams coordinator for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League (UFL).
Autry Lamont Denson is an American football coach and former player who is the running backs coach for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the head coach at Charleston Southern University from 2019 to 2022.
Blair Armstrong Kiel was an American professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL),Canadian Football League (CFL),and Arena Football League (AFL). He was a four-year starting quarterback and punter in college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish from 1980 to 1983. He was inducted into the Indiana Football Hall of Fame in 1998. Kiel worked as an advisor to corporate real estate clients in the Indianapolis area. He retired to start a non-profit organization to help young athletes plan for when their athletic careers are over.
Tracy O'Neil Porter is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Indiana Hoosiers and was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the second round of the 2008 NFL draft. Porter is best known for being a crucial player during the Saints’2009 season,in which he intercepted Brett Favre in the NFC Championship Game and then won Super Bowl XLIV over the Indianapolis Colts,sealing the game by famously intercepting Peyton Manning and returning it for a touchdown.
The Colts Catastrophe was an unsuccessful National Football League (NFL) trick play attempted by the Indianapolis Colts against the New England Patriots on October 18,2015. It occurred near the end of the third quarter in the teams' Week 6 game of the 2015 NFL season.
The 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers–Indianapolis Colts playoff game was a National Football League (NFL) Divisional Round playoff game between the sixth-seeded Pittsburgh Steelers and the top-seeded Indianapolis Colts,taking place during the 2005–06 NFL playoffs at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis,Indiana on January 15,2006.
Joshua Downs is an American professional football wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at North Carolina.